ABOUT US

About Us

In a world full of fantasy images of models and movie stars, Shameless is working to create a space for women to feel safe, beautiful, and empowered.

The tools of makeup, lighting, and photography can create images that are part fantasy, part reality. It is a powerful thing to enter the realm of fantasy, and to know that you can do so whenever you choose. No model or movie star owns the realm of fantasy — we all do. In some small way, we hope that our business can help women to feel more empowered and embodied — and to see femininity as a space of play and possibility rather than shame.

We’re in this to prove that YOU can be a bombshell, no matter what shape, size, age, color, or ability. We’re here to help every step of the way — from wardrobe to makeup to hairstyling to pose & expression coaching — so that you can see your own beauty more clearly.

Our photographers

Sophie Spinelle, Founder, NYC & SF Photographer

Sophie believes the complexity and power of glamour, and thinks rhinestones can be radical. She was educated at Sarah Lawrence College and Harvard University, and has studied many forms of art, including oil painting, theater, and music. In her first career, she worked for world change at a policy institute — but when she fell in love with photography and launched Shameless in 2009, she knew she’d found her calling. She feels blessed every day to do this work, and will stop at nothing to make sure that every person who comes to Shameless walks away feeling inspired and confident about who they are.

Carey Lynne, Principal SF Photographer

Carey has been in love with photography for as long as she can remember. She received her BFA in photography from George Mason University where she was first introduced the art of pin-up photography, and studied for her Master’s in Photography at the Academy of Art University. Before joining Shameless, a great deal of her photo work focused on women, femininity, and bringing awareness to issues like rape and body image. From an early age, Carey realized how powerful photography was in communicating ideas. When she joined Shameless in 2011 she knew that she had found something special — a perfect combination of creating beautiful images of strong women communicating messages that could change the way our society perceives beauty.

Maxine Nienow, NYC Photographer

Maxine is a Mexican painter-turned-photographer who was taught from an early age the importance of expression and its transformative power. Coming from a family of strong willed women who believed in changing the world through art, community, and having a deep understanding of one’s self, she learned to see art as a space of revelation, collaboration, and community building. She studied painting in Paris, cultural studies at UC Berkeley, and ultimately earned her BFA in photography at Parsons School of Design in NY. Her sense of wonder and social conscience led her to create public art projects that joined communities through painting, created photographic series to bring attention to issues of injustice in her home country, and finally to find Shameless. Her passion for using art and beauty as a catalyst for exploring who we are is the reasons she is thrilled to be part of the Shameless team. She thrives on helping Shameless clients see aspects of themselves that they might have not know were there.

Our team

Stylists and Assistants

Shameless would not exist without the dedication and passion of its makeup artists, hairstylists, assistants, and interns. These amazing and talented women have added immeasurably to the quality of our images and made our studio a place full of laughter and warmth.